A communication network typically employs numerous network elements for exchanging data across the network for delivery to a final destination. For example, within a typical Synchronous Optical Network (SONET), numerous types of network elements from many different vendors are interconnected with each other in very complex configurations. In addition, changes are frequently made to the network configurations and interconnections as more customers and greater communication availability is added. Consequently, maintaining an accurate record of these complicated configurations and interconnections at any point in time is a significant challenge.
To attempt to keep track of the network configuration, some network providers use provisioning databases that store data representing the configuration of the network. A significant problem that has been identified relates to inaccurate representation of the actual network configuration in the provisioning database. Generally this problem arises when changes to the network are not updated in the provisioning database or are updating incorrectly. Due to the complexity of network configurations, the large number of interconnections, and the frequency of change, the current state of a network topology can be extremely difficult to identify if the provisioning database is not updated when changes are made; and if errors are made during provisioning, the current state is not easily discernible even if the provisioning database is updated. Once connections are made between network elements, manually identifying them can be a painstaking, and time-consuming task because of the vast number of connections between the elements. Unfortunately, the provisioning database typically does not accurately reflect the actual network configuration.
If the provisioning database does not accurately reflect the actual network configuration of the network, this can pose significant problems for the network provider. For example, if equipment fails on the network, the database will not provide accurate information to enable network administrators to quickly identify the source of the problem, and fixing the problem may take much longer than necessary. In addition, customers may be billed incorrectly because of incorrect assumptions about the network configuration. Furthermore, network administrators or network monitoring systems may rely on the database to analyze and determine the elements in the network that should be updated or replaced as new elements become available. However, an inaccurate database of the elements of the network may mistakenly identify or miss those elements that are available for updating such that the network is not updated properly.
Hence, among other things, there exists a need for systems and methods for more accurately updating a database of a network topology that minimizes the potential for human error when updating the database as the network is changed. Further, there exists a need for systems and methods for utilizing the accurate database of the network topology to identify those network elements that should be updated or replaced.